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| ▲ A poster of romantic series "The Midnight Romance in Hagwon," starring actors Jung Ryeo-won (R) and Wi Ha-joon. Photo courtesy of tvN. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, May 21 (Yonhap) -- tvN's weekend drama 'The Midnight Romance in Hagwon' has come under fire for a scene depicting the main character driving under the influence of alcohol. In response to the backlash, the scene showing the character drinking was removed.
On the 21st, CJ ENM stated, "We recognized the issue with the drunk driving scene immediately after the broadcast and have updated the VOD (Video on Demand) service and rebroadcasts with a version that excludes the scene."
"We sincerely apologize for any discomfort caused by this oversight," the statement continued, "and we will be more careful in producing high-quality content in the future."
'The Midnight Romance in Hagwon' is a romance drama featuring Seo Hye-jin (played by Jung Ryeo-won), a famous instructor at a private academy in Daechi-dong, Gangnam, Seoul.
The fourth episode, which aired on the 19th, included a scene where Seo Hye-jin drinks with a fellow teacher, followed by her driving back to the academy to prepare for a lecture with her junior colleague Lee Jun-ho (played by Wi Ha-jun).
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| ▲ These captured images of romantic series "The Midnight Romance in Hagwon," starring actors Jung Ryeo-won (R) and Wi Ha-joon, stoke drunk-driving controversy. Photo courtesy of tvN. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Following the broadcast, viewers raised concerns about the depiction of drunk driving. In response, tvN edited the VOD and rebroadcasts to remove the scene of Seo Hye-jin drinking, while keeping the scenes of her conversing with the fellow teacher and driving.
This incident occurs amidst heightened criticism of drunk driving in the entertainment industry, recently exacerbated by the case involving singer Kim Ho-joong. On the 9th, Kim Ho-joong was involved in an accident while driving and left the scene without taking appropriate measures. He later admitted to drunk driving, which sparked significant controversy.
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| ▲ Director Ahn Pan-seok (L), actress Jung Ryeo-won (C) and actor Wi Ha-joon, starring in tvN's upcoming romantic series "The Midnight Romance in Hagwon," pose for photos at the show's media conference held in Seoul on May 9, 2024. Photo courtesy of tvN. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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